


Bullet

by AutisticWriter



Series: Whumptober [22]
Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, Crying, Friendship, Gen, Guns, Gunshot Wounds, Implied Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji, Knives, Mental Health Issues, Mugging, One Shot, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Prompt Fic, Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies, Swearing, Whumptober 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-10-25
Packaged: 2019-08-07 13:39:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16409483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutisticWriter/pseuds/AutisticWriter
Summary: Ash and Eiji get mugged, but Ash’s attempt to protect Eiji ends up hurting Eiji instead.[Prompt 22: Friendly fire]





	Bullet

The problem with getting a reputation, in Ash’s experience, is that it always comes back to bite you in the ass. For Ash, the reputation he refers to is his impeccable shooting skills, from his ability to handle pretty much any weapon with skill to his ability to hit a target from an impressive distance or whilst moving, almost everyone who knows Ash (both allies and enemies) knows of his skill involving guns. But what they all forget is that even the most skilled people aren’t perfect, and that they make mistakes. In fact, even Ash gets a shocking reminder of this one day.

What’s pathetic about Ash, in his opinion, is his hyperactive reflexes. Despite Max repeatedly telling Ash he has PSTD, Ash just considers himself weak for the way he jumps at the slightest noises. Although this does come in handy, as it makes it easy to hear when people try to sneak up on him. However, he lacks the ability to tell if that person in the distance is friend or foe.

So even a good ten years after the whole Banana Fish bullshit ended and Ash lives a comfortable life without fear of assholes constantly trying to murder him, he’s still a jumpy dickhead. And he always keeps his gun with him, tucked into his waistband or in an actual holster for once, just in case. After all, you never really leave the gang life even after you leave a gang, and he never knows when someone might try to jump him.

One day, he and Eiji leave the supermarket with a shopping cart full of food, and head to Ash’s car at the back of the parking lot. Eiji babbles about how much money they saved on this and that deal, but Ash’s focus is elsewhere. He had a horrific nightmare about Shorter’s death last night, and since then his senses have been painfully heightened, every noise a possible threat.

“Are you okay, Ash?” Eiji says, giving Ash one of those wonderfully caring smiles. He utterly adores Eiji, his best friend and flatmate (he used to have a bit of a crush on Eiji, but right now their relationship, as close as it is, is entirely platonic), and never gets tired of his naïve outlook on the world.

“Uh, yeah,” Ash says, and he knows neither of them are convinced.

They reach the car and Ash beeps it unlocked, pulling up the lid of the trunk. And that’s when he hears it: footsteps.

Someone is approaching him and Eiji. But there are no other cars over this side of the lot. Fuck, what is going on?

And Ash pulls his gun from his holster and spins on the balls of his feet – and his eyes widen.

A man stands right behind Eiji, a grubby hand clamped over his mouth and… and a knife held right in front of his neck.

“What the fuck?” he hisses, his gun trembling in his grip.

The man smirks, the knife so close it almost touches Eiji’s skin. Eiji trembles, eyes wide as he struggles in the man’s grip. “Give me your wallet, or I’ll slit his throat.”

Another thing about Ash: he has met enough criminals to know when a threat is serious or just empty. And this guy… he’s serious. He really would slit Ei-chan’s throat. The bastard. The fucking bastard.

Ash’s hand trembles, making his gun shake, and he hates himself for being weak. In the past he murdered so many people, and his hand never shook. So why now can’t he threaten someone without this tremor? Yes, he knows about the PTSD, but it’s still pathetic.

“Put the gun down, pretty boy,” the man says.

Ash doesn’t lower the gun, keeping it fixed on the man’s shoulder (there’s no point killing him, but a shot to the shoulder would force him to drop the gun), but sighs. “Fine, take my fucking wallet.”

He pulls his wallet from his pocket and chucks it at the man. The man grabs it in the hand not holding the knife, letting go of Eiji’s mouth.

“Ash!” Eiji whimpers, trembling.

“Shut up,” the man says, and Eiji flinches.

“Let him go, then,” Ash says.

“Nah, I fancy those car keys too.”

The fucking asshole!

“Get bent!” Ash says.

“You are not having our car,” Eiji says, but then the knife digs into his neck and his breath comes out as a gasp.

“Fine, take the fucking keys,” Ash mutters, holding out the car keys.

But as the man reaches to take them, Eiji takes his chance and tries to dash away.

“Not so fast, asshole!” the man snarls, ignoring the keys and grabbing Eiji by the back of his collar.

Eiji stumbles backwards, colliding with the man in an awkward position that makes it look like the mugger is spooning him whilst upright, and gasps in shock. And then the man is moving the knife and Ash knows he’s actually going to do it and he steadies his hand and—

_BANG!_

A bullet flies out of his handgun and goes soaring towards the man. And he sees the familiar spray of blood and hears the scream of pain – wait, was that two screams?

As he darts forwards to pick up the knife, which, sure enough, fell to the ground, Ash sees what happened. And he wants to throw up.

Blood soaks through Eiji’s shirt, leaving Eiji screaming in pain as he clutches at his shoulder. Eiji drops to his knees, whilst the mugger falls onto his back. Blood soaks through the mugger’s shirt too, but Ash only fired one bullet.

Oh fuck.

Oh fuck.

Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck of fuck oh fuck oh fuck—

He shot Eiji. The bullet passed through Eiji’s shoulder before embedding into the man’s shoulder.

He shot Eiji.

He shot Eiji.

He fucking shot Eiji.

As the mugger writhes on the floor, Ash rushes over to Eiji and drops to his knees.

“Eiji? Oh fuck, Eiji, are you…?”

Eiji looks at him, tears of agony starting to leak from his eyes. “Ash…”

“I’m so fucking sorry,” Ash mutters, gritting his teeth as he puts his gun back in his holster and helps his friend, his companion, the most important person in his life, lean against him, staring at the blood.

The gunshot has attracted attention, and soon people are screaming and swearing and probably calling 911, but Ash doesn’t give a shit. All he cares about is Eiji.

Fuck, why did this have to happen?

And the worst part is, throughout the whole ordeal as they go to hospital and get cautioned by the police (thankfully, Ash’s actions were considered justified self defence, so no jail time for him) and try to deal with the situation, Eiji never once looks mad.

Why can’t Eiji have a go at Ash for his skill failing him? Why can’t Eiji just be pissed Ash shot him?

But this is Eiji, so of course he doesn’t get mad.

Instead, his smile as he lies in a hospital bed finally makes Ash break down sobbing.


End file.
